Arizona couple sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for pandemic aid fraud scheme

PHOENIX – An Arizona man and woman were sentenced to 2.5 years in prison each last week for their role in a pandemic aid fraud scheme, authorities said.

In addition to the prison time, Katherine Comesano and Gary Cartier were ordered to repay $209,659 in criminal restitution during their Sept. 17 sentencing hearing, according to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

They were originally indicted on 27 felony charges in April 2025, including 23 counts of forgery. They reduced their potential penalty by pleading guilty to one count of illegally conducting an enterprise last month.

How did Arizona couple operate pandemic aid fraud scheme?

Comesano and Cartier filed 24 fraudulent applications for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Guam, prosecutors said.

The couple used their own names with fake information about employment or residency on some of the applications, and other people’s names on others.

They wound up defrauding programs in Arizona and California out of over $200,000.

The couple used the pandemic aid fraud proceeds to pay for various Airbnb rentals throughout the Phoenix area and buy cars at auctions, prosecutors said.

“Protecting taxpayer dollars from fraud is one of the most important duties of my office,” Attorney General Kris Mayes said in a press release Thursday. “I’m proud of the members of my team who continue to diligently uncover individuals abusing government systems and hold them accountable to the full extent of the law.”

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